Vs. 






Glass 
Book 




^^S^ 



/ VCe 



The Campaign Issues, 




P IE E C H OF 



Ai "^ 





c'f^ ^lugtisia, Georgia. July 4, 1873. k^^/-' 
THE KATXOI^.aL REPUBLICAF PAETY THE HOPE 0? THE NATION. 



Mr. Chairman and Fcllorc- Citizens ; 

A meeting lika this, oa this auspicious 
day — this great Republic' t; National Birth- 
day — tbo anniversary of American Indo- 
pend'jnce. ought to be a success, and happily 
it is one. Yet, I confess my own preference 
would have been to have deiirered to you 
aud all our people an oration instead of a 
party speech, for alas ! this glorious day 
2 Jo too few to pay it that reverence aud 
'V.'.'X all our fathers used to do without 
1 tinction of party, secticnality, or reservn,- 
a of affection. 

i'.it, ray fellow-ciiizeas, it is not an of- 

: se, nor objectionable in justice, that on 

;3 anniversary a lojal, Union-loving party 

:.uld asscniblo and cle-irly avow to the 

.tors of this country the principles by v/hich 

■ profess to bo governed — the principles 

. the great Republican party of this na- 

ica — the policy and platform of our candi- 

^les, and the justice of our cause as politi- 

:r-> asking the co-operation and suffrages 

all oar people. « 

OU?. STAKDAKD-BEARKKS. 

I' ■ ': incousi.'acnt Willi the highest 

ua.::' .1 djvodon to duty — the honor 

"0 bear aloft inscribed on 



the flag of our beloved country, in letters of 
gold, or living light, the names of Ulysses 
S. Grant for President and of Henry Wilson 
I for Vice President in the political cam- 
paign upon v/hich wj now enter. [Great 
applause.] 

The nomination of these distinguished 
citizens by the great Convention at Phila- 
delphia was an ovation of itself never before 
witnessed in any National Convention — 
.Republican, Whig, or Democratic — in our 
couutry; and was such a spontaneous and 
enthusiastic tribute to them as men, and the 
place they respectively hold in the affections 
of the masses of the people, as no man had 
ever before witnessed in any country or by 
any people. Certainly no Liberal Republi- 
can, or Democrat, had ever dreamed of such 
unanimity, such enthusiasm, such an assem- 
blage on earth, and surely there never was 
on3 like it before in this or any other coun- 
try. Not a discordant element, not a tech- 
nical question or a dilatory motion, not an 
opposition vote, but one noble, solid, in- 
vincible phalanx of the people's harmonious 
standard-bearers shouting forth in thunder- 
like tones the people's free choice— record" 
ing State after State by ballot nnanimously 






.Td'S 



for tbe great soldier and statesman ■whom 
the nation deliglit3 to honor, and who will' 
with firmness, justice, moderation, and 
safety hold the helm of State for the next 
four years. [Cheers.] 

And it was most just anW grand that such 
a convention, fresh from the people of this 
great land, should select as standard-bearers 
in this political campaign we are fairly 
launched upon these great names for the 
suffrages of this nation. They are men who 
give no uncertain sound. They are read and 
linown of all men. And that they combine 
all the true elements of American charac- 
ter—of self-made, self reliant, great men- 
no just man can successfully deny. And it 
is no exaggeration nor eshorbitant praise 
to say that few men of any age or country, 
in ancient or modern times, have inscribed 
their names so high on the scroll of fame as 
great chieftains and civilians, as have Grant 
and Y/ilson by their own acts and deeds. 
[Loud cheers.] Neither of them were born 
to greatness, but greatness has been achieved 
by them. And such greatness how few at- 
ta,in? 

GRA'N'T AS A GEKERAL. 

No common mind, no common man, 
could GO conspicuously have written his 
name on the roll of honor as General Grant 
has done. Surely no man without brains, 
v;ith only ordinary or common understand- 
ing and comprehension of men, without 
knowledge of himself in this 19th century, 
in this age of wonderful activity and almost 
miracutous progress, this age of intelligence 
and unexampled competition, v/ithout capa- 
city of intellect, power of combination, 
sagacity, discrimination, and a comprehen- 
sive knowledge of men and things, time 
and events, could have accomplished what 
historical facts show that he has done. I 
confess I can conceive that s. man may 
blunder into a good thing — may be lucky at 
times — may influence men by eloquence, 
by flattery, by money even to a certain ex- 
tent — but no miui ever yet moved battalions, 
■ brigades, divisions, large armies of meii, 
commanded and moved hundreds of thous- 
ands of men, like a great and uncrrin't 
machine ihrou^-h lonsf and terrific war. ;. 



then by spontaneous and electrical enihc- 
siasm awoke a nation's gratitude to elevate 
him to its Chief Magistracy, and agaia 
unanimously renominate him for the same 
position without capacity equal to that of 
ihe highest, noblest, and purest of earth's 
great dead or living. [Great applause. J 
In vain we seai-ch Grecian, Roman, Galic, 
Anglican, every historic page for his equal 
or parallel, (for few men indeed in all the 
world's history have ever been able to move 
or command even a half million of men,) 
and yet many able, consciencious, truth- 
loving men either do not comprehend o^ 
prefer not to admit this fact. I am no man- 
worshiper, but where shall we find anothe:? 
who never met with defeat, so far, in tbe 
field or Cabinet? [That's so, and cheers.} 

GTvAXT AS A STATESMAK. 

As a statesman, some of his opponents 
say he has failed, but they fail to shoxv 
wherein. And, without personality, or the 
slightest disposition or desire to awaken 
animosities, or carry thought back to strife, 
I may be pardoned for asking these men 
was it in his correspondence with Peraber- 
ton? W»3 it with Lee at Appomattox? 
Was it with Johnston? I do not mean Andy. 
[Laughter.] I mean the greater, Joseph E. 
Johnston ? Was it v/hile he was Secretary 
of War, when President Johnson bore tes- 
timony that "he (Grant) had saved tbe 
Treasury, during, his short service, three 
millions of doUaf 3?" Was i I; when he said 
"Let us have peace?" Was it in r.ny of 
his messages to Congress, by all who have 
read them, acknowledged to be State papers 
unsurpassed for clearness, statesmanship, 
and directness of expression? Was it In the 
negoiiations of the Washington treatj? 
And has it been shown in the ecouoniyc^ 
his administration ? In the management 
the finances of the nation aud in the red : 
tion of the public debt? In the rednct : 
and collection and disbursement of ' 
revenues? And in the management of '-,' 
Indian affairs ofthe Government, crigina' 
organized, aud carried out by himself, 
repeat, no common man holds the heir 
?tr.*o. th? rri-i?, of this grea' Govern 
' e oovt-ers of PresiO. 



complishin^ so quietly, so unostentatiously, 

" ;;^o vigorously, without being in the posses- 

. sion of chciracter, ctbility, and mental power 

. that the vrorld as yet knows little of. 

■ ^ [Cheers.] 

t-T» But our Democratic friends say he is a 
^ ItliLiTART President, and will yet make 
*i5 himself dictator ! and they cite as authority 
ibr their night-mare apprehension : 

Ist. That he is surrounded by a military 
family guarding the V/hite House. 

2d. That he wishes to control elections 
and enforce his re election by the bayonet; 
and 

8d: That he favors Ku-Klux laws and the 
unlimited suspension of the writ of habeas 
corpus. 

Now, in reply to the fust complaint, his j 
being a military man, that is granted, for : 
he has proven that by his deeds. But that j 
he has surrounded the White House v;ith a 
military guard, is entirely untrue — not a 
soldier, nor epaulette, nor shoulder-strap 
of any kind is to be seen within its walls 
nor anywhere upon the premises. But if 
Grant is a military President, so was Wash- 
ington, Jackson, Harrison, Taylor, and the 
same objections were as bitterly made 
against them, and with what efifect history 
will tell and some of ua personally remem- 
ber. 

In regard to his making himself a dicta- 
tor, and perpetuating a dynasty in his family, 
I have no doubt he will do so in the same 
■way exactly as Washington's and Jackson's 
political enemies said they would, but did 
not. The persons who affect to believe 
such trash as this better bear in mind "the 
great cry and little wool" the man had who 
shaved the hog I [Laughter.] And, fur- 
ther, it is true there is not to- day one v.-hole 
company of United States troops stationed 
at Y/ashington, the capital of this great 
country, nor does the President wish one. 
Nor had this Government ever a more 
modest, unassuming, unpretentious Presi- 
dent — one less given to display and ostenta- 
tion than General Grant. He is as far free 
from making military display as if he h^d 
never drawif a sword in his life, [Applause.] 

In the second place, it is charged that he 
wiJihes to use the army to control elections 



and enforce his re-election at the polls in 
November. 

Such a charge as this must either bo true 
or preposterously false ; and surely no evi- 
dence of the first proposition can be pro- 
duced. I believe that General Grant never 
thought even of such a i hing. And that a 
President of the United States, with its en- 
tire army constantly on duty to garrison and 
protect its thousands of miles of frontier and 
further thousands of miles of sea coast de- 
fenses—its forts, fortifications, barracks, 
depots, arsenals — to perforna its escort and 
transportation business — to protect its In- 
dian affairs and prosecute its Indian wars — 
I to guard its continental railroads and mails, 
with its wliole effective force less than 
30,000 officers, artJIlCers, and men, including 
all arms — should attempt in addition to all 
this duty to subvert their Government and 
enforce by bayonets, his reelection to the 
Presidency, is too ridiculous to discuss. I 
dismiss such a charge as not only utterly 
preposterous, but idle and contemptible — 
because no President could even hope for 
success in so fool-hardy an undertaking — 
certainly not while freemen are' worthy to 
be free. No President can ever live and do 
such a thing — never ! Thirdly., in relation 
to his favoring the ku-klux legislation and 

THE EUSPENSIO:^ OP THE WRIT OF Jiobcas 

corpus. 

In answer to that, it is well known that 
General Grant did not originate one of these 
laws. As the Executive of the nation he 
must carry them into effect as passed by 
Congress, but further than this he has never 
taken one initiatory step. On the contrary, 
he has even opposed them, and as long ago 
as 1807 he wrote the Secretary of War touch- 
ing this very question, as follows : 

" The necessity for governin^g any portion 
of our teri'itory by martial law is to be de- 
plored. If resorted to, it should be limited- 
in its authority, and should leave all local 
authorities and civil tribunals irQQ and un- 
obstructed, until they prove their inefficiency 
or unwillingness to pe'rform their duties."' 

And when called before the committee of 
Congress to give his testimony in regard to 
the war, condition of the South, and espe- 
cially in reference to the contrcverRy at TjoVA- 



more, bclwcen Gov. Swann and tho Police 
Commissioners, ho said : 

'' I understood that Gov. Swanu wanted to 
use tlie military power of the Government, 
and I called his (President .lohnson's) at- 
tention to the law on the Kubjec", which 
changed his views and determination evi- 
dently. I called his (Johnson's) attention 
to the only circumstance in which the mili- 
tary force of the United States can be called 
out to intc.'itre in State matters. It was his 
intention to send United States troops 
through Ballimorc to enable Gov. Swann, as 
he termed it, to enforce his decision in the 
case of those Police Commissioners." 

And again he said : ' 

''I was sent for several times — twice, I 
think — while Gov. Swann was then in con- 
8i;Uation v/ith the President. Finding that 
tlvj President vranted to send the military to 
Baltimore, I objected to it.'' [Cries of 
good; hear ! hear!] 

And it was not finally done nut'l General 
Grant had communicated with the Secretary 
of "War, and through him drawn an opinion 
from the Attorney General against the con- 
stitutionality r.nd legality of sending troops 
to Baltimore, that President Johnson ac- 
quiesced in General Grant's views. 

And every act, and expression, and mes- 
sage of President Grant touching these mat- 
ters will conclusively show his opposition to 
martial law, to the suspension of the writ of 
Jiaheas corpus, and to the Ku-Klux laws in 
States unles-s as a dernier resort; because of 
the non-execuiion of statute laws by State 
and county courts, and their failure to pro- 
tect the life, liberty, and property of per- 
sons. On this point his record is unequivo- 
cal, and no man, be ho lawyer, politician, 
or partisc.n, can truthfully gainsay this fact, 
and the proofs on this point could be multi- 
l)lied almost ad wfinitam. [Cheers.] 

And now for tiik otiiku side of this 
PICTURE — but before we xn-occed on this line 
(one of Grant's lines we are going to fight 
on all summer) [ajiplause] permit, me to 
introduce here the opponent and Democrat- 
ic adopted nominee — "anything to beat 
GrantI" Do not be startled. Let no man 
be afraid. It is not an apparition, a myth, 
710 ghoul that I am going to bring forth by 
"tricks that are vain," nor jugglery. The 
opponent of Grant is no less a man than one 



who is to swallow tho wli:,ie i^.i-l,;::. 
Democratic Convention, or be sw.allo wo 
it! Of course there is but one man i:- ■ 
United States who can perform ih-at 1- 
and he could not if he had not all the 
I able i'UiLosoi'iiY of thk xe-.7 voiik t,-.!, 
I [laughter] and the ins and outs, isms, . 
i whito coats, that Horace Greeley aioi 
i wears. [Cheers.] And this man wiio. : 
I 1868, at a dinner in Montreal, saiii ; 

"Mr. Webster was not o;iIy a .-^aatiemai 
I but he had the elements of moral greatnes 
and he had faults as well. He failed onl 
in one re.spcct, and in this rG.^pect I difft 
from him — he wanted to be President an 
I don't. [Sensation.] Wc have also se 
our greatest man, Mr. Chase, making t! 
j Game blunder. I have .seen men v.'ho ]i;i 
the disease early and died cf it at a very o; 
age. [Laughter.] General Lewis Ca'sdii 
about 82, and up to the day of his d.-ath^;. 
v.'anted to be President. No one ever j:; 
capes who catches the disease, he lives :.ii 
dies in the delusion ; and being a reaie 
and an observer at an early age, I sav/ Lot 
it poisoned and paralyzed the very best c 
our public men, and I have carefully a I'oide' 
it." [Laughter.] 

We hope he will be disposed of at Baltil 
more, for it is certain if the Democrati 
party are so hungry for office, so famisiiea 
for the spoils of victory as to sacrifice al 
their life-long professions — their mos 
solemn asseverations of years for .a 'en 
offices and for success in the Presideniia 
race by taking up for the head of their party, 
for their chief and spokesman, their leader 
and guide, the chiefest I'adical of Radicals 
their life-long opponent, scourge even — iriec 
the great Republican party will be con: 
No man will be more easily beaten as t 
will cleai-ly bear witness; but on this poi 
I Avill ask your attention to Greeloy o 
Greeley in a speech that he made in Trun: 
bull county, Ohio, in October, 1871 : 

"If the Democratic party v^ere called upo 
to decide between Grant and myself, I kuov 
that their regard for what they must cal 
principle would induce nine- tenths of then 
to vote against me. Why? I am a decide 
en-eray of that party, even in its most re 
spectablo aspects." [Applause.] 

On another occasion, also in a publi( 
speech, he said : 

"We are led by him who first taught our ar- 
mies to conquer in the West, and subse- 



quently in the East also. Richmond wouH 
not come to us until we sent Grant after it, 
vand then itluul to come. [Cheers.] He has 
never yet been defeated, and never will he. 
He T.'ill be as great and saecessful on the 
lield of politics as on that of arms. [Pro- 
longed applause.] 

Again, on the 6th of January, 1871, Mr. 
Greeley said: 

•'.'As to the Administration of General 
Grant, I recognize no one as a Republican 
who is not grateful for it;i judicious, ener- 
getic, and successful efforts to procure the 
ratification of the fifteenth amendment, tiiat 
key-stone of our political arch, where- 
, by tlie fruits of our great triumph over re- 
bellion and slavery are assured and perpetu- 
ated. That the President has made some 
mistalies in appointments is obvious. It 
v/ovJd be strange, indeed, if one so inex- 
perienced in the conduct of political affairs, 
had wholly escaped them. While asserting 
the right of every Republican to his untram- 
meled choice of a candidate for next Presi- 
dent until a nomination is made, I venture to 
suggest that General Grant will bo far bet- 
ter qualified for that momentous trr.st in 
1872 than he was in 1868." 

WHAT HORACK THOUfiHT OF GRF-ELEY. 

And in the year 1866, Horace Wcite, Mr. 
G^reeley's greatest friend in the "West, an 
able man, but certainly a changeable one, for 
lie is now for Greeley, co-operating with 
him with all his powers. Mr. White then 
said : 

"Horace Greeley is not now, and never 
Las been, a man who ought to be trusted 
■with an official position requiring practical 
Iv/isdom, ordinary statesmanship, or firm, 
'consistent action. For twenty-tive years he 
■•has been a marplot in council, an unrelia- 
'ble commander in action, a misanthrope in 
victory, and a riotou-s disorganizer in defeat. 
He has always been fanatical in his demands 
for the estremest measures, and when the 
party has reached the eve of triumph, inva- 
riably thrusts himself forward as a negotia- 
tor cf terms of surrender to the enemy. 
His course during the war v/as but a repeti- 
tion of his course in polities. In 1861, lie 
wa3 an open defender of secession ; he 
changed to a vigorous champion of the war, 
and thereafter was forever recklessly making 
proposals for peace and as recklessly with- 
drawing them — making war in spite of Mars, 
and negotiating in spite of Minerva. 

"For twenty years he has been an uncom 
promising advocate for a square fight with 
the pro-slavery party, and when that kind of 
a fight was forced upon the Republicans in 
1860, he was here in Cliicago, voting not 



for Lincoln, nor for Chase, but for old Ed- 
ward Bates, of Missouri, one of the fi.'sshs of 
the slave party. He was thou the :i::.s('-iate 
and CO lal)oror of that oiher inipracricable 
and unreliable squad — the Blair family. 
The country at this time wan! 3 no inspired 
harlequins in the national councils. Still 
less does it want men with statesmanslup so 
microscopic that they can see nothing in 
public business but the mileage and per diem 
of their fellow-members. If Mr. Greeleyis 
not satisfied with his position as a journalist 
— a position which ought o be equal in point 
of influence, power, and dignity to that of 
six average Senators — and if the Republi- 
cans of New York want to do something for 
him let them make him State Prison Inspec- 
tor, or even Governor ; anything that will 
not make the outside of the State responsible 
for his follies." [Laughter, and cries of 
good.] 

In addition to these, I could multiply the 
letters, speeches, and testimonials of nearly 
every public man, distinguished Liberal Re- 
publicans who attended the Cincinnati Con- 
vention, iucluciing it:- presiding officer, Judge 
Stanley Matthews, against its nomination, 
but will only nov/ read yon the following 
from'Mr. Bryant's New York Evening Post: 

"Should Horace Greeley ever be the 
President of the United Statea wc lirmly 
believe that the corruption and tlie cr:::ie of 
an Administration with a man at its he;",d so 
weak in principle as he. so infirm of purpose 
as he, so imbecile of character as he, go sur- 
rounded by such a crowd of adventurei'S, and 
cormorants, and knaves as would surround 
him — that the corruj.tidn and the crime of 
such an Administration would reach propor- 
tions thai would put their jierpetrators be- 
yond the cognizance of ordinary courts of 
law, and that would or.ll for and compel 
other correction than ordinary penitentiaries 
can afford. Wliere the rebellious clement 
and the corrupt element of the country arc 
combined to gain possession of the Gcvern- 
ment, and on a fr:l5e pretense, we may pre- 
pare ourselves for any calamity that i:i the 
course of human events can possibly befall 
any people in their political relatio::.- .vith 
each other and tlie world " [Cries -Jitit's 
so, and good.] 

In addition to tlw.s, ilr. Grkelby was the 
fiercest of the fierce in advocacy of alt the 
Ku-Klux legislation, and the suspension of 
the writ of habeas corpus. 

WHAT COL. JIO.SIiY THIXKS OF OUEELEY. 

Says Col. Mosby, of Virginia: 
"Will the partisans of Greeley point to one 
act that was odious to us that he has not 



iusl^fied and approved? Nay, more. The 
tyrn-jni^al acts of Congressional legislation 
v,-erj un nxprcs^ion of a Northern Eonlimonl 
of hostility to the South for which Horti-'e 
Grec-Iey, more than nny other man, is re- 
sponsible. General (!rant htis been the in- 
8tvuir:ent of executing many laws obnoxions 
to U3. -which were enacted under the pressure 
of a, public opinion, created by Greeley, 
whicli no man could resist." I 

^^.■■r does Mr. Greeley tay in his letter, of j 
acccitance of the nomination of the Cincm- ! 
nati Gonvfention, these laws ought to be re- j 
pealed— nor that be is opposed to such leg- ' 
islation. How well do we all remember, too.- 
how he advccutcd siud demanded Presi-Ier.t 
Johusoa's irapsachmcut with all the feroc'ty 
of h-'s changeable and impctuons nature, and 
when he was acquitted charg-;d every one of 
the then Republican Senators, who voted to 
acquit him, with corrupt and dishonest m.o- 
tives, and that some of th'-r.i Iiad received 
bribes for Iheir votes. 

•aiTSELKY o:r Tin-: elkciio.v laws. 

He has urged, also, over and over again, 
with all the vehemence in his power, in the 
press and by public speech, the very elec- 
tion laws which it is pretended he now dis- 
claims. V/hat hollow-hearteduess this is, 
■will appear more clearly when we turn to 
his own acts in connection with this law. 
The original law only applied to cities of 
20,000 inhabitants in the South, but after 
the New York election, two years ago, Mr. 
Greeley, again and again, through the col- 
umns of the Tribune, urged its being amend- 
ed and made applicable for every election 
in-ecinct ia that State! And this man is 
now deemed worthy of Democratic sympathy 
and support. Well! "e 'ni' -p"! [Ap- 
plause.] 

GENERAL GRiXT V l.\Ull.'ATEi>. 

It is next charged that General Grant is 
re^-ponslble for the reconstruction and dis- 
franchisement laws. 

To this declaration. I reply unhesitatingly 
and defy a successful rejoinder to my aver- 
ment tliat at no time, from the first inccp- , 
tion of the correspondence of Grant, previ- 
ous to the surrender and the paving ihe wa.y 
thereto of General Lt;e and his brave army 
at Anpomattox, did Grant ever favor by 



recommendation any laws in this connection 
not originated and pr.s3ed by Congress. And 
that he was from principle and as a soldier 
opposed to them, hii whole course shows. 
And his subsequent acts, as well as his mes- 
sages, prove it. But as President he was 
compelled to execute the laws of Cor^gress. 
His oath of ofiice (not taken i!i vain) being 
obligatory, and nnle?s he executed the laws 
he' would bo liable to impr',-,nnment. 
Gu.vst's last ;iii;mai message contains the 
! faiiowing : 

! "It mey well be considered whether it -is 
I not now time that, the disahiiities impose^i 
I by the fourteenth amoLid.mont should bo re- 
moved. That am-^cdmont does not exclude 
j the ballot, and only imposes the disability 
'to hold ofiice upon certain classes. V/hen 
I the purity of the ballot is secure, majorities 
I are 8ure to elect officers reflecting the views 
' of tlie majority. I &> not see the acha:itage 
or pro2'>ndii of excluding men from office, 
inerdj/ because ihe;/ u:cre, before the nbdiion, 
of standinj awl charac'er, sufficie'it to he 
elected to 2}Osi'^o^^s requiring them to fake 
oaths io sup'poTt the ConsUlution, and admit- 
ting to eligibility those entertpdning pre- 
cisely the same vievrs, but of less standing 
in their communities. It maybe said that 
the former violated an oath, while the latter 
did not. The latter did not have it in their, 
power todo so. If they had taken the oaih 
it cannot bo doubted that they would have 
broken it as did ihe former clans. If there 
are any great criminals distingui&ued above 
all others for the part thc'y took in oppo.r.tion 
10 the Government, thc.v uiigJit in thp judg- 
ment of Congress b.e cxcludtd From such an 
amnesty. This subject is recimmcifid^e-d to 
your ca"reful consideration. The coaditioa 
of the Southern States is,_ unhappily, not 
sach as all true patriotic citizens wouli like 
to see. Social ostracism, for opinion's :iake, 
personal violf^ncc, or threats towards l)3r- 
sons entertaining politicil vii-.v.^ oppose'il to 
those entert.iined by the majority cf the old 
citiifens, prevents immigr:biion"a:;.d the flov/ 
of much needed capital lata the States late- 
ly in rebellion. It will be a happy condition 
of the country when the old citiz'?n.3 of these 
States will take an interest in pabUc affairs, 
promulgate ideas honestly^entercained, vote 
for men representing their views, and tol- 
erate the saaie freedom of expression and or 
the ballot in thoie entertaining different pp- 
j litical convictions.'" 

I Now who, under the heavens, iu all our 
! land is more rr^sponsible for the passage of 
I the Ku-Kla:c. reconstruction laws, and gus- 
1 oensiou of th'; wric of habiinf c y/pus than 



Horace Greeley, [cries of that's so ;] nor 
will tbe Cincinnati and Baltimore nomina- 
tions ever save him from this responsibility, 
whether people condemn them or not.. 
[Cheers.] 

H05. B. U. hill's MISSTATiiMEXT REFUTED. 

And here I wish to call your especial at- 
tention to some statements of Mr. B. H. 
Hill in this connection, made in a recent 
speech at Atlanta. He said ; 

'•Mr. Greeley has said and done many 
things which t need not tell yon I do not ap- 
prove — you do not approve — bat Mr. Greeley 
has always been in favor of'one policy which 
relieves me of the most vital objection to his 
support. He never has at any time approved 
of those features of the reeonstmctionpolicy 
which disfranchised the virtue and intelli- 
ijonce of the South and enfranchised the ig- 
aorance and vice of the South. He has stood 
Up like a man from the beginning and pro- 
tested against every one of these odious 
features of the reconstruction policy." 

In opposition to this unwarrantable and 
marvelous assertion, I recall your attention 
to the speech of Hon. Daniel H. Yoorhees, 
of Indiana, and the letters of Col. Mosby, 
Col. Benj. S. Ewell, John H. Gih-aer, Hon. 
James H. Lyons, ex- Got. WicklifFe, Gen. 
Longotreet, and scores of others who might 
be quoted, besides the v/hole record of Gree- 
ley's life, as published in the columns of the 
Now York Tribune, in coatradictioi of this 
statement. Surely no one man in the 
United States has written and published 
8Qch persistent and unequivocal articles in 
favor of recoastvuction, Ku-Klux laws, and 
disffauchisement as Horace Greeley, and 
I confess my amazement at reading the 
above unblushing panagraph from any man 
who has ever, for one moment even, been in 
public life. I now ask honest men of all 
parties and all colors to listen to this lan- 
gaage of this suddenly became immaculate 
Democratic candidate for President of the 
United States. [Laughter.] 

'•'■When the rebellious traitors arc ovir- 
whclmed in the field, and scattered like leaves 
before an awjrD wind, it must not be to 
return to peaceful and coiitenkd homes. 
They r,iust find poverty at their firesides, 
and sci prioution in ihe anxious ei/es of 
mothers, and in the rags of children."' — 
Horac; G-vtiolo/. 



Comment on this utterance is unnecessary 
by any living soul. Thank God the dead 
hear it not And again he said ; 

"I therefore, on eveiy occasion, advo- 
cated and justified the Ku- Klux act. I hold 
it especially desirable for the South ; and 
if it does not prove strong enough to effect 
its purpose, I hope it will be made stronger 
end stronger." [Oh, and sensation.] 

And on the 21st April, 1871, after the? 
Ku-KIus bill had passed Congress, the Nevr 
York Tribune— \. e. Horace Greeley— said 
this : 

" It ia a great point gained that there has 
been legislation of any character upon this 
question. The lawlessness at the South has 
been greatly fostered by the heretofore seem- 
ing indiSerence of Congress and the North 
to the outrages committed upon loyal citi- 
zens. Legislation, however imperfect, was 
cfilculated to restore the confidence of the 
friends of the Union and to wani its enemies. 
The bill, now become a law, should be en- 
forced with such power and firmness as to 
intimidate those who seek to regain politi- 
cal power by outrage and crime, and to pro- 
tect fully all friends of order and peace, 
irrespectively of party or of pplitical con- 
siderations. The Democrats in Congress 
have fought the Ku-Klux bill as a party 
measure directed against their adherents iu. 
the South. The Republican Administration 
will enforce it as a measure of peace to_ the 
country and security to all its citizens.'" 

In this connection I wish to place on th3 
record right here one other testimonial — 
from the New York Tablet of last month- 
its matured opinion as well as political (al- 
ways Democratic in sympathy) views of th<5 
fitness of Mr. Greeley for President, viz : 

"Mr. Greeley has shown alike his want of 
statesmanship and of principle in his readi- 
ness to seize upon every popular excitement, 
every radical movemenf., every popular 
insurrection, or projected reform at hom3 
and abroad, as a means of secunng i.opu- 
larity for himself or of his party. In a word 
he is a professed philanthropist, and phil- 
anthropy has been well defined, 'Ihelove 
I of all men in general, and the hatred of 
I every man in particular,' unless, perchance, 
I he has a black skin or a black character. 
'All your philanthropic movements ot the 
i da." tramnle down more good by the way 
' than could possibly be gained by success m 
their schemes. Few men have exerted a 
more disastrous political and moral iniluence 
on the couEtry during the last llnr y years 
th'^n this same Hora,ce Greeley, r.n 1 nothing 
couid more seriously di;grac« the American 



people than to elevate him to the Chief 
Magistracy of the nation." [Uprorious ap- 
plause.] 

WHAT CHARLES A. DAXA TuOUOnT OF GESEP.A], 
GUAKT. 

And further, what Charles A. Dana, the 
editor cf the New York Sun, now active 
supporter of Greeley and abuser of Grant, 
thought of Gen. Grant, until the President 
thought there were better men to fill the 
custom-house appointments in Nev* York 
than Mr. Dana. [Laughter.] 

"The personal qualities of UIjgecs S. 
Grant, like big historical achievements, are 
such as to attract and justify the confidence 
of the loyhl people of the whole country. 
His modesty, his disinterestedness, his 
magnanimity, his bravery, and his patri- 
otism may well be held up as models for 
emulation. His fidelity ta duty, and his 
llrmnessin trial and in danger, prove ijiat 
the Republic will be in safe hands while 
Iiis masterly common sense and unerring 
judgment in siilecting the right men for 
.important trusi/S, afford the bes*; reasons 
for our belief that bin administration will 
be no less remarkable for the wisdom of its 
measures than for the elevation of i+s mo- 
tives.'' 

HILL rUAISISG GREELEY. 

But to return to Mr. Dill, who must think 
the people of this country only Rip Van 
Winkles, oblivious to facts, current events 
of the day, aad the active history of the 
times, 1 beg to call your attention to what 
he tells the Democrats of Georgia, v.'ho musL 
Lave been asleep longer than Washington 
Irving's Rip ccnli have been, v,'hsn he 



"He (Horace Greeley) has "never -bee:i j 
what is called a partisan, and au independ- i 
ent thinker, I think, has the greatest hon- ' 
esty." ! 

Well ! well ! The last part of this sentence | 
must have been to qualify the first part, or j 
to let k down easy ! [Laughter.] j 

It is possible, hov/ever, that the De- j 
mocrac-y of this -State may swallow the i 
assertion tha!; H. G. "has never been j 
a partisan," but I venture to say it will! 
take very largo draughts of soinething a j 
great deal stronger than water to get it down i 
most tiiroat?, whether Democratic or Re- I 
publican. [Prolonged laughter.] And mo | 
thinks when Horace reads that at Chappi,- | 



qua he too will not only be somewhat sur- 
prised, but smile an unusual smile t [Laugh- 
ter.] If H. G., as tlie editor of the Tribune 
for upwards of twenty years past, has not 
been a partisan editor, what in heaven'."? 
name has he been? [Cries of "Philoso- 
pher, Farmer," &c.] What will the old 
editors of the Charleston Mercury, Rich- 
mond Enquirer, Jaumai of Commerce, and 
the New York IVorld, be calltd? Such c 
statement as that might be made by the in- 
mate of au insane asylum, but to be made 
by a Democratic orator to a Democratic au- 
dience, as Paddy would say, " would make 
a dacent horse laughl" [Laughter.] 

And, while I am referring to Mr. Hill's 
remarkable speech, mure remarkable, I beg 
leave to say, for what it omits to say than 
vrhatit does say, let m© call attention to his 
remarkable assertion that the Cincinnati 
Convention had the effect to compel the 
Administration promptly to pass the dis- 
abilities bill or amnesty bill. And, further, 
that a coalition cf the Democracy and Lib- 
eral (Greeley) Republicans had prompted 
the passage of the election or bayonet bill, 
as he terms it, In the House ; also, to defeat 
the bill authorizing the suspension of the 
writ of habeas corpus in certain cases, &c. 

In view of the fact that Mr. Greeley has 
advocated these two last bills, as I have 
before shown, and that ©eneral Grant has 
alw.iys persona-lly been opposed to them, 
always advocating an:nesty and the removal 
of disabilities, &c., and that the Liberal or 
Greeley Republicans, as Mr. Hill would 
have us believe, defeated these measures in 
the House, where not a corporal's guard of 
Greeley Republicans can be found, and I 
believe not one can be named in the House 
of Representatives as a GrcelcTj man in pref- 
erence to Grant. I also state that I believe 
it a fact that not one single Republican but 
Grant Republicans and Democrats voted on 
either of these bills. 

THE AMNESTY BILL PASSED BY BEPUBLICA>:S. 

And as to the amnesty bill especially, it 
was passed by the resolution and determina- 
tion (previously agreed upon) by the Repub- 
licans in caucus-long befuro the Cincinnati 
Convention had assembled, lir. Greeley's 



influence in that direction Was as barren and 
ineffectual to accomplish the final result of 
that vote as it would have been, nay, as it 
was, to stop the war before it was fought 
out. [Loud cheers.] Not only that, but 
Mr. Hill certainly must know General Grant 
has been in favor of amnesty from Appo- 
mattox down to the day and moment he 
triumphantly and cheerfully signed the bill 
making it the law of the land. And to at- 
tempt to give the credit and honor of that 
reat deed to Horace Greeley or his influ- 
ence is but a mocliory of justice, an endorse- 
ment of his most outrageous, yee, abomina- 
ble, worse than heathenish, sentiment, utter- 
ed in the extract. 

Greeley's viNDicTisvEyE.ss akd heartless- 

NESS EXniMTED, 

That the soldiers of the confederate 
armies, on the return to their friends, 
whether paroled or not — the rank and 
Sle of . the rebellion must find only poo- 
'criy at tlicir fire- sides and witness hut 
\prlvaiions of their anxious uices and raqs 
and starvation of their cJiildren ! No man 
North or South, in any country or age, black 
or white, federal or rebel, bond or free, ever 
"made such a declaration, or could have ut- 
tered such language, but he who would sell 

I body and soul to be President, and for 
"anything to beat Grant," eat up all the 

[Tvords he had ever spoken in his life. [Con- 

f tinned and loud applause ; cries of we won't 

'vote forhim.J 



ISATION'Ar, P.EPUEUCAN ADMINISTRATION KE- 
VIEWED. 

But I must pass on, and now let me ad- 
vert to some of the works of General Grant's 

ladministration. 

1st. The great Republican party in Con- 
gress have initiated under his own recom- 
mendation a thorough civil service reform, 
not in words, but in deeds, to be carried out, 

'and it is being carried out in all the De- 
partments of the Government. And this is 

Jno Cincinnati chimera, catch-penny, Schurz 

wn a bean-pole affair, [great laughter,] but 



a tangible reality to be fully perfected and 
maintained. 

2d. We have an economical Administra- 
tion, and such an one as the country Il^s not, 
had for many years, and certainly would nc". 
have the next four years if Greeley, Tweed, 
Hoffman, Sands & Co., get to Washington. 
On the 4th of March, 1861, when the Re- 
publican Administration came into power 
and assumed tlie business of this Govern- 
ment, its Treasury was so bankrupted that it 
had to borrow money to pay its current civil 
expenditures. Scarcely a dollar was left in 
the Treasury. The average annual expendi- 
ture of Mr. Buchanan's administration ex- 
ceeded the receipts by $1-5,066,275.17 per 
annum, making a total deficit in four years 
of $60,265,100.08, which, added to the 
amount of cash in the Treasury, on the ac- 
cession to power of President Buchanan, 
viz : $19,842,114.10, made an excess of ex- 
penditures over all receipts to the Trervsr.ry 
in a time of profound peace less a balanc-3, 
March 3, 1861, of $2,496,035.32— of $77,- 
621,179.46. 

Beside this bankri-pt state, it left the 
country in a state of v,-ar which ha.n since 
further added thousands of millions of dol- 
lars to the Government debt, with an untold 
amount of loss of capital, suffering, and 
death. Not only wcls this the legacy to the 
Republican party, but the credit of the Gov- 
ernment was fearfully undermined, for, on 
the 19th of December, 1860, when the Sec- 
retary of the Treasury opened proposals is- 
sued on the 14th of December for a $10,- 
000,000 loan, he found tendered but one- 
half million dollars, and that at from 12 to 
3G per cent, discount for gold. Undei* 
Grant's adminLstratiou Government bonds 
are again above par, and, prosperity points 
to an abundant Treasury. And in addition 
to the above, General Grant's administrri- 
tion the past year has cosh the country less 
2}er capita than it did in 1860-61, taking in- 
to consideration the increase of poi)ulation, 
territory, and the natural increase of public 
service, both at home and abroad. 

The whole expense of Government in 1860- 
ei was $61,402,408.64. 

The same for 1870-71 amounts to $68,- 
084,613.92, showing an excess of only $7,- 



lO 



282,205.28, while the population of 18C0 
vras bat 31,443.321, and that of 1870-71 was 
between 39,000,000 and 40,000,000. 

Thaper capita tax for 18G0 was $1.05 per 
cont. 

The jyer capita tax for 1871 is $1.73 per 
cent. . 

Of course the interest of the ipblic debt, 
the diiFercnce between gold and paper cur- 
rencj, the increased pension lists, and sun- 
dry other miscellaneous items incurred by 
reason of war are deducted, but taking the 
legitimate current expenditures of the Gov- 
ernment, we find the present 2^cr capita tax 
&iQd expenses are less than in 1860-61. 

Cd. The collection of the revenue is re- 
duced enormously. In the year 1800-61 
the customs collections amounted to $53,- 
187,511.87, and the cost of collecting under 
Democratic administration was $6.25 per 
cent. In the year 1870-71 the customs col- 
lection had nearly quadnipled, being $206,- 
270,403.05, while the cost of collection un- 
der General Grant's Republican administra- 
tion was but $3.01 per cent— £. e., less than 
one-half what it cost ten years ago. [Cries 
of "you are are right, that's so."] 

And not only this, but under Republican 
administration defaulters and plunderers arc 
punished and sent to prison ; and more have 
been found guilty and punished than under 
any other Administration since the foun- 
dation of the Government, not because 
there is more rascality now, but because an 
honest Administration enforces the penalties 
of the law, and because roguery and dishon- 
esty is at discount, notwithstanding the 
Democratic thieving in New York. [Cries 
of "Hurrah for Grant ! he is our choice !"] 

We have also the knowledge that the per- 
centage of loss on collections, disburse- 
ments, and transmissions of revenue, and 
by defaulters of all classes, has been less 
under General Grant's administration of 
three years than any other Administration 
that ever preceded it. John Tyler says that 
Le knows that under Van Buren's adminis- 
tration there were but 96 receivers of pub- 
lic moiieys, and that 96 of those were de- 
faultQr.s_,l 

4tb. While the debt of the nation under 
GTaa*"' s administration has been steadily re- 



Iduced to the amount of $333,970,916,39 
; fcince March 4, 1869, and the interest on the 
I same, at the rate of nearly $22,401,087 per 
I annum. The internal taxation and custom 
duties up to January 1, 1872, have been re- 
duced nearly $250,000,000, and during the 
session of the Congress which adjourned 
June 10th last, in a -farther sum for 1872-3 
of between 53 and $54,000,000. And this 
contraction of the public debt and reduction 
of interest continues to go on. Can any 
Democrat say he hopes or can possibly ex- 
pect the same favorable state of finances and 
reduction of debt and interest and taxes un- 
der the Radical-Greeley- Liberal-Democratic 
administratioa ? [Cries of no I no I] I do 
net think any sane man, North or South, 
will have the temerity nor the brass to say 
he believes any such thing. 

5th. A simple comparison of the adminis- 
tration of the Treasury Department under 
President Grant and the Republican party 
with that of the Democratic- Tammany-Hall, 
Tweed- Greeky party of Nev; York, wheu 
the latter increased the city debt from $29,- 
324,949.82 in December, 1839, (eight 
months after President Grant went into 
power,) to upwards of $95,000,000 January 
1, 1872, establishes the difference between 
Democratic and Republican honesty, econo- 
my, and trustworthiness. 

0th. The currency circulating medium 
and financial steadineis of General Grant's 
administration stands without a parallel in 
the history of -this Government, and no man 
questions its soundness and permanency in 
any part of the land. A dollar note or 
greenback to-day is as good in Maine as in 
Georgia,' or in Texas as in lHauesota or 
Massachusetts. 

7th. The forcigu rtlaiioas of the Govern- 
ment never were conduc'cd v,'ith more abili- 
ty, discretion, and honor, than at present; 
and at no time in the pas'^ have we had such 
assurance and guarantee of honorable and 
harmonious relations in the future with all 
the Powers of the earth as we have under 
General Grant. Mr. Sumner's medly turns 
out, so far, to be only his own, and the peo- 
ple of the South certainly want no more of 
them, nor him either. [Sensation.] 

Sth. The management of the Indian af- 



fairs of the nation, under a new S3'st.eni de- j-j 
vised and carried out under the personal jj 
supervision of the President, is proving eco- 
nomical, friendly, and eminently successful, 
and will save the country millions of dollars 
i',ev annum ; and 

9th. And lastly, (on this line.) the do- 
;aestic and internal affiirs of the Govern- 
r.-icut and States are csastantly improving, 
and becoming more and more satisfastory ; 
sz\d it is now only for the people to get back 
;o the " old path" — into the right track — 
L-ogulating their O'.vn State matters, dealing 
,;ustice :n their own administrations and 
couvts, 'ander the Constitution and laws, as 
th'jj v;:re -n-ont to do in the oldeu time, Or 
days before the vr^r, to have peace and los- 
;;:3ration to its fullest extent. 

Returning again to affairs in Tiit; Soutii, 
I recall your attention to Mr. Hill's Atlanta 
tpeech, wherein in great bitterness he re- 
proaches and denounces the Administration 
tor filling Northern prisons with the best 
btood of a neighboring State, &c. &c. 

I am sorry Mr. Hill is not here face to face 
to hear what I would Eay to him on this sub- 
iject — delicate and unpleasant as it may be — 
the smallest practical part of v.hich he but 
'faintly alluded to. Nor can he be oblivious 
to indisputable facts — to notorious truths — 
that neither he nor any just man can deny. 
He cannot have forgotten, either, how the 
distinguished Hon. Reverdy Johnson, of 
Maryland, in open court, finding the cases, 
known as the Ku-Klux cases, he was called 
upon to defend, were so grossly cruel and 
revolting to humanity, to civilization, to 
Christianity, he abandoned their defense and 
denounced the perpetrators of the crimes 
charged is unworthy defense ; so that these 
very men, for whom pity and sympa;hy is 
novr asked and excited, on the advice of 
tiieir friends, tl?en and there in open court 
plead GuiLTV to tlie almost namele^'s charges 
against them ! "What a commentary is this 
on the rights and wrongs of men, citizens of 
thia country, and that the administration of 
this great Government, the President of the 
United States, is to be held responsible for 
injustice and as depopulating the country 
and devastating States! The Administra- 
tiou is v.o more responsible for this matter 



than ilie iiur(5tar:go[in the highest hcarenlj 
host! [Load cheers.] 

Possibly there may b-» c-SCi ot hanlship — 
indeed cases of safTering innocence— buthow 
this can have been shown wlien most of the 
accused plead guilty, it "is difflculr. to compre- 
hend. Bat'in jas.ice do let the triiih be told, 
though the heavens fall! for it i:5 certain 
where there h so much smoke there must of 
necessity be fire! [Criss. "That's so."] 
Besides, -the report of the C«ngr.\-:;:onal 
committee, both m.ajority and minority re- 
port, condemn unauinously must, of these 
very case.?. But just, or uupi.^!". nn one 
v/isbtes v,-rong perpetuated ; rxu-i 

'•Tvuth crushed to eai'ih wiii jia-j t!g:i-:i.. 
The eternal years cfuod are, hers, 
"While error wounded writhes. in pnla, 
And dies amid her wori-^hipi'io !'' 

[Loud cheers. 1 
k .-■'■'. 

TIIK DUTT or THE GOVESSfJlB^^T TO rUOTECT 

xr.V) PEFKN-D nra rion'rs of cn';':i:KS. 
The rightful powr^rs of this Govf'riimcnt ■ 
cannot bo doubted. Its duty to protect and 
defend the rights of citizens of its humblest 
wards cannot be questioned. [Cheer?.] 
And that it is a Government, "as so felicit- 
ously expressed by the immortal Lincoln, , 
"of the people, by the people, and for the 
people," will no longer be denied. It is zr. 
admitted fact, too, that we have a General 
Government and State govcrnmeht'3, and, 
that while in a measure independent of '.-acli 
other, still they iatermesh, are wheels within 
a wheel for the good of all— t!ie grcitest 
good of the greatest number-- for the amplest 
protection of life, liberty, and the pur.uit 
of happiness, of aU its people, irrespective 
oflatitude or longitude, ■.-"-. ('-:■;;■•;• ■ 'or, 
or previous condition. 

A FEV.- OF OrwEELEi'S (HlSU'Lt:.)': -1^ 

DEMOCKATIU F.^ilTV. 

Without taxing patierice too lon-,^ I wlU 
here call your attention and that cf out 
Democratic friends partieu^.arly ti> two far- 
ther Grech^jisma, which yosslbiy »njy prove 
hard pills for them to swnllow, i-i addiuon 
to the author of them, but which tiioy mn.xt 
swallow if they vote for G^'ccley. Speaking 
of the New York election of 13GB, Goto ;er 
16, ISGO, Mr. G. said : 



12 



"The vote of our State was stolen from 
Gen. Grant by the foulest, most audacious 
conspiracy and g'ganlic fraud. She is far 
more decidedly Republican than Pennsylva- 
nia is, ov ever was ; she "'as carried for 
Seymour and Hoffman by crimes that ought 
to fill fifty State prisons to overflowing." 
[Laughter.] 

And again, on October 11, 1870, he said : 

"The one thing a Tammany Democrat 
oannol abide is an honest election. The 
Ring makes no attempt to conceal its deter- 
mination that repeating shall not be stop- 
ped, even if that dearest privilege of the 
party have to be defended with the slung- 
shot and iron dog." 

And again Greeley said in 1871 : 

"The brain, the heart, the sorJ of the 
present Democratic party is the rebel ele- 
ment at the South. It is rebel at the core 
to-day. It would comejinto power with the 
hate, the chagrin, the wrath, the mortifica- 
tion of ten bitter years to impel and guide 
its steps. Whatever chastisements may be 
deserved by ©ur national sins, we must hope 
that this disgrace and humiliation will be 
spared us," &c. [Loud cheers.] 

I have already called your attention to 
•what Mr. Greeley has said of Gen. Grant's 
fitness for his first and second term nomina- 
tions. And, by the way, he was one of the 
first, if not the first, to nominate Grant for 
a second term, before he found he could 
not use and control him for his own per- 
sonal ends, although his Cincinnati platform 
liasa "one-term" plank init, ontheground, 
probably, that one-term of Greeley would 
be enough for the country and people, and 
doubtless it wcrJd. [Applause.] 

■WHAT THR new VOUE V.'0ULD FAIT) OP GENERAL 
GRANT. 

I ask your attention now to what the New 
York World said cf General Grant's fitness 
for President; 

"Apply to Gen. Grant what test you will ; 
measure him by the magnitude of the ob>ta 
cles he has .surrounded, by the value of the 
positions he has gained, by the fame of the | 
antagonist over whom ho has triumphed, 
by the achievements of his most illustrious ; 
co-workers, by the sureness with which he 
directs his indomitable energy to the vital 
point v/hich is the key of a vast Held of op- 
erations, or by that supreme test of con- 
summate ability, the absolute completeness 
of his results, and he vindicates his claim to 



stand next after Napoleon and Wellington 
timong the gre-it, soldiers of this country, if 
not on a level v.ith r,he latter." 

And again : 

" Of the steadfastness and staunchness ofi 
Gen. Grant's patriotism, or the uprightness 
and solidity of his character, no man in the 
country doubts or affects to doubt. 

" On the score of loyalty and solid public 
services, no man in the country can come 
in competition with this illustrious soldier. 

•' The Presidency can be nothing to him ; 
he has a more valuable office. But if, in the 
hands of Providence, he could be an in- 
strument for tranqiilizing the country, that 
is an honor for which lie could afford to 
sacrifice ease, congenial pursuits, and tlie 
pos.sibility of still greater fame as a sol- 
dier." 

This was spoken in 18S8, and tliough the 
World has since changed. Grant has not 
changed but for the better, both in experi- 
ence and riper.ed statesmanship. [Loud 
cheers.] 

WHAT GEN. K11a:KELAIR SAID OP GEN. GKANT. 

One other testimony, that of Gen. Frank 
P. Blair, of Missouri, Greeley and Brown's 
right-hand man, and I close. • When Blair 
was making a speech in Leavenworth, Kan- 
sas, in 18G8, some wise Democrat called out 
in reply to Blair's criticism, "Grant is ?„ 
fool." !ilr. Blair immediately turned upon 
him with all his animation, sharpness, and' 
usual expletive language, said ; 

" Sir, you are mistaken. Grant is no fool ! 
I know him well. I knew him before he 
went into the army, and when he used to 
haul wood into the city of St. Louis. I met 
him often in the service. I know the man. 

He is, by , the greatest man of the age. 

Sherman, Sheridan, and Thomas are good 
nien, hut Grant is v/orth more than all of 
them. [Groat cheering and laughter.] 

" Oliver Croniv.-ell and Napoleon Bona- 
parte wore both great men, but, sir, I tell you 
that Grant is a greater man than Cromwell 
and Bonaparte put together. He is not a 
talker, but he is one of the d — est ihinlsers 
in I he world. 

' ' Yes, but don't you think he wiil.be con- 
trolled by such men as Sumner, Wilson, and' 
VVasliburnc ?" * 

" Controlled I Controlled I Why, Ijy G — , 
he would sweep thera away like a straw." 

"But, General, don't you think that cir- 
cumstances have done a great deal for 
Grant?" 

" Why, h— 11, the fellow has inade the cir- 
cumstances. 1 tell you that it is no luck ? 



*' The man that can spring right up from 
poverty and obscurit}', and dj what he has 
done, is no mere creafure of circumstances. 
Circumstances don't run so much in one 

way-" 

'• I am a Democrat, but it General Grant 
is such a great man as you say he is, I am a 
Grant man from this out.'' [Cheers.] 

'• Well, if you want a despotism, vote for 
him ; but if you want a Republican form of 
government, you will have to vote as^inst 
him. I liuow thai he is a great man, and, by 
G— d, in saying so, I simply tell the truth." 
[Prolonged cheering.] 

Y.'ith all these testimonials, this know- 
ledge of our standard-bearers, let »3, from 
this time forth, be up and doing. Aye, from 
now until November's tritimph, which surely 
awaits us, move on the column?? ! March 
on, March on I 

General Grant and Her.ry Wilson are hon- 
est, tried and, true, and under the proud 
banner, our red, white, and blue, we will go 
on conquering and to conquer. The very ele- 
ments all conspire to this, and the shouts of 
freemen proclaim it everywhere. Yes, with 
Hekicv Wilso.v, the friend of labor, the 
friend of man, the friend cf right against 
might everywhere, even v/heii might seemed 
to make right — the self-made statesman and 
scholar, whose record and fame is as broad 
as the land is, wide — indefatigable, unflinch- 
ing to duty — judicious, discreet, good, and 
true in every tried position, as Vice Presi- 
dent, with General Grant as President, the 
country will have the assurance doubly sure, 
that their Administration will be honored, 
useful, respected, and the integrity of the 
country be maintained against every foe. In 
the Senate, on the stump, on the bench, 
(shoemaker's if you please !) no man stands 
higher, purer, moro honored. And he is 
strictly a representative man — East, North, 
South, and West — having enlarged public 
views and no narrow sectioual, contiacted, or 
partisan prejudices or animosities to avenge. 
His heart, too, is ever opened to sympathy 
and a world's charity, while his mind is as 
clear and unclouded as his own New England 
mountain air is pure and healthful. In 
whatever position placed, he has always been 
found faithful, untiring, genial— and he will 
be emphatically, one other right man in the 



I right place. [Cries, that's so.] Hecompre- 
\ hends the wants and necessities of the labor- 
I ing classes and interests of the South, as well 
i as of the Norih, as perhaps few Northern 
: men do ; and our people here, all of you, 
I always know where to find Henry AVilson. 
! He is no weathercock, nor traducer, nor- 
falsifier of his own record, but will be, as an 
: au:ciiiary, counselor, and Becond to the 
t President, without a superior in all the land. 
I Prolonged applause.] 

i CONCLUSION. 

j And now with such men as candidates for 
the high ofSces of President and Vice Presi- 
I dent, with such principles, ability, and hon- 
' ors clinging to and clustering round them, 
I and such a platform as that of the Philadel- 
I phia Republican National Convention to 
I stand upon, there can be but one response 
I in November next, and that vi'iW be ''see 
i the conquering heroes — Grant and Wihon — 
I come." [Ai^plause.] That they will be 
j triumphantly elected the ides of November 
will show, and with such a majority as never 
before was given to a President and Vice; 
President of the United States. [Cheers.] 
And then will all our country be freer, 
better, stronger than ever before. And we 
shall see a prosperity, advancement, devel- 
opment in arts, in sciences, in knowledge, in 
legislation, in agriculture, in mechanics, ia 
internal navigation and commerce, in edu- 
cation, in morals, in material wealth, and in 
all that contributes to make a great and free 
nation flourish and prosper as at no tim3 in 
the past. Vv'^ith such hope, inspiration, 
promise, rightful expectalion of the future 
before us — 

Our country ! who would not iofe it? 
Who, not uphold it, bravely, e'en with tears 
And blood, and life's last ebbing flood ? 
Aye, ho foe shall crush thee, no loud roar 

ofLattle 
Bend thee nor break thee while frcoiuea 

liv.M 
Yea, thy sons and daughters too will fall 
In heaps around their altara and tucii fires, 
Beside the green graves of their sires, 
But not our country fall ! 
God bless and keep our native land? > 
[Long and continuous cheers.] 



-1^ 



GRANT'S AMNESTY PuEGOED. 



A fitting appendix to the foregoing able 
argument is found in the following extractSj 
showing the kindly interest taken in the van- 
quished confederates, and his course in ad- 
vocating amnesty. At the memorable sur- 
render at Appomattox Court House, one 
•writer says: 

"After the signatures were attached (to 
the terms of the surrender) Lee said that he 
had forgotten one thing. Many cavnlry and 
artillery horses in his army belonged to the 
men in charge of them ; but of course it 
was too late to speak of that now."' 

"Grant (interrupting)— I will instruct my 
paroling ^thcers that all the enlisted men of 
your cavalry and artillery who own horses 
are to retain ttem just as the officers do 
theirs. They will need them for their 
spring plowing and other farm work." 

"Lee (with great earnestness) — General, 
there is nothing you could have done to ac- 
complish more good eiiher for them or the 
Government." 

FIRST WORD Fon am:;esty. 
How General Grant's heart longed for re- 
conciliation and peace between the sections, 
and how ready he always was to stand be- 
tween the extremists of the North and the 
disheartened people of the South, and say 
to the former, bo magnanimous, and to the 
latter, take courage, is manifest upon every 
proper occasion. During the excitement 
which cv/cpt the North at the assassination 
of Lincoln, General Grant, in a letter to 
General Halleck, made the first great plea 
for amnesty, and thus set the example for 
others at the North, who, like Mr. Greeley, 
have fiince — as '' his enemies — claimed the 
.parentage of that forgiving and fraternal 
'movement. He said : "although it would 
meet v/ith opposition in the North to allow 
Lee the benefit of amnesty, I think it would 
have the best possible ciFect toward restor- 
ing good feeling aad peace in the South to 
have him come in. All the people, except 
a few political leaders in the South, will ac- 
cept whatever he does as right, and will be 
guided to a great extent by his example." 

GENERAL LEE INDICTED. 

General Lee being afterwards (June, 
J 805,) indicted for treason by a Virginia 



grand jury, General Grant interceded for 
him, urging as follows : "In my opinion the 
officers and men paroled at Appomattox 
Court House and slue?, upon the same 
terms given to Lse, cannot be tried . for 
treason so long as they observe the terms 
of their parole. This is my understanding. 
Good faith as well as *rue policy dictate that 
we should observe the conditions of that 
convention." On this point he sometime 
later, in an examination before the Judiciary 
Committee of Congress, revealed the cease- 
less activity with which he had plead for 
charity and forgiveness, while Andrew 
Johnson was howling anD' kaging foe 
VENGEANCE upon Lee and the Confederate 
l^ders. The official report furnishes these 
extracts. Eldridge (Democratic member of 
the committee) — "Have you had interviews 
with the President about granting amnesty 
and pardon to rebel officers and people?" 
Grant— "I have occasionally recommended 
a person for amnesty. I thought there was 
no reason why, because a person had risen 
to the rank of general, ho should be ex- 
cluded from amnesty any more than one who 
had failed to reach that rank. '"' ••" '^ -' 
I don't see any reason why the volunteer, 
who happened to rise to the rank of general 
should be excluded any more than a colonel. 
■>!■ *, * -:r J frequently had to intercede 
for General Lee and other paroled officers 
on the ground that their parole protected 
them from arrest and trial. The President 
at that time occupied exactly the reverse 
grounds, viz : that they should be tried and 
punished. He wanted to know when the 
time would come that they should be pun- 
ished. I told him not so long as they 
obeyed the law and complied with the 
stipulation." 

THE OPINIONS OF OTHEBS. 

Upon this point it will be interesting ta 
observe what some of the able men who have 
never acted with the Republican party have 
to say in comparing the magnanimity of 
Grant and Greeley. We first give an ex- 
tract from a speech of Hon. Mr. Voorheee, 
the great Democrat of Indiana : 

"Sir: It is sometimes said, and I regret 
to hear it, that this nominee (Mr. Greeley) 
went bail for Jefferson Davis. It is toa nar- 



:I5 



row a platform for a Presidential campaign. 
[Laughter.] It is a most dangeroua appeal, 
a most miscuievoas issue to raise l.-etweeii 
the man who put Mr. Davis in jail and the 
man who bailed bim out. It would not be a 
prudent issue, and, as a friend of the South- 
ern people, I Imolore thera not to make it. 
It will arouse a feeling which is rapidly pass- 
ing away, for the soldier element of the 
North is magnanimous, just, and good._ It 
will, ia other respects, provoiio a comparison 
not favorable to 'the nsminf-'e of the Cincin- 
nati Convention. A hundred millions of 
property stood ready to bail Mr. Davis. He 
was not hfelpless ; he did not need support ; 
the whole South would have bailed their own 
prisoner. But there was a time when An- 
drew Johnson and his adminibtration, espe- 
cially guided by his Secretary of War, de- 
sired to arrest Robert B. Lee and Joseph E. 
Johnston, and other prominent leaders of 
the South. But one man could prevent it. 
That man is now the Chief Executive of this 
nation. General Grant at that time stepped 
forward and told ihe authorities that he had 
taken the paroles of the=e distinguished 
Confederates as soldiers, and those paroles 
should be respected. [Applause.) * ^' " 
I fear, Mr. Speaker, that if 1 should take 
the stump and pi ess the claims of Mr. Gree- 
ley, [ sliould find a candidate opposing him 
who had done more and kinder things for 
the South than he had," 

.Governor Wise, the indomitable defender 
of the South, presents the case this way in a 
letter to CoL MoSby : *' Was Greeley super- 
serviceably benevolent in going bail for 
President Davis? Grant was far more man- 
ly in giving us honorable capitulation at 
Appomattox to go homa with the honors of 
war, and, so long as we obeyed the laws, 
there to remain unmolested in all respects 
whatsoever." 

'HE URGED AMNESTY ALL THE TIME IN HIS 
MESSAGES. 

In his messages he has throughout em- 
phasized the question of amnesty, appealing 
to his friends in Congress and to the North- 
ern people in the strongest and most direct 
language, to hasten the bestowal of that 
cherished boon upon the late Confederates ; 
and to his persistent efforts in private and 
public council is to bo credited the final 
passage' of the general amnpsty law at the 
last session of Congress. Ptcad his appeal in 
his last message, observing as you v/ill, that 
it is in spirit and substance the same gener- 
ous argument which he advanced soon after 



the surrender, when others were d-mandlng 
trials for treason, and punirihmcnfc in chains 
or upon the scaffold. 

" More than six years having elapsed since 
the last hostile gun was 6red between the 
armies then arrayed against each other — one 
for the perpetuation, the other for tlie de- 
struction, of the Union — it may be v/cll con- 
sidered v/hether it is not now time that tho 
disabilities imposed by the taurteenth amend- 
ment should be removed. That amendraen: 
does not exclude the ballot, but only impose-; 
the disability to hold offices upon certain 
classes. 

" I do not sec the advantage or propriety 
of excluding men fr«m office merely because 
they were, before the rebellion, of standing 
find character sufficient to be elected to posi- 
tions requiring them to take oaths to sup- 
port the Constitution, and admitting to eli- 
gibility those entertaining precisely tlie samo 
views but of less standing in (heir communi- 
ties. It maybe said that the fjrmer violate 1 
an oath, while the latter did not. Thelatte:- 
did not have it in their power to do so. I- 
they had taken this oavli it cannot be doubl- 
ed they would have broken it as did the 
former class. 

AN APPEAL FOR, VIRGINIA. 

The Old Dominion, the mother of Presi- 
dents, vras one of the first Slates to receive 
President Grant's assistance. In the very 
first month of his administration he urged 
upon Congress her claims in a special mes- 
sage; and in the election which took place iu 
1869, on the adoption of the test-oatli clauso 
in the State constitution, he allowed a sepa- 
rate vote. 

THE TEST-OATH. 

Y/hen the military Governor proposed to 
apply the test-oath to the members of tho 
State Legislature thus elected, the President 
prevented him, and on the reassembling of 
Congress in the fall, the State officers, by 
his urgent recommendations, were recog- 
nized, and its national Picpresentative's were 
admitted to their seats ; and in no way since 
has he Interfered with the sovereign fights 
of Virginia. A similar policy was likewlco 
pursued towards Texas and Mississippi. 

From the beginning of his career at Bel- 
mont to its brilliant close at AppomattoV; 
there is not" an act of crueky or uni'v •: - 
verity charged against hi;:: 
historian, rem—''! '':-'- 'i ■• 



16 



dices of to-day, when he reviews the career 
of General Grant, will hesitate whether to 
give pre-eminence to his skill as a soldier, 
or his magnanimity as a man. 

With the surrender of Lee he sheathed 
bis sword, buried the animosities of- war, 
and labored as earnestly to restore peace 
and prosperity to the South as he had to 
preserve the integrity of the nation. He has 
been a consistent peace-maker, and since 
his accession to the Presidency, has done 
all in his power to promote the best interests 
of the country, by maintaining peace, not 
only within our own borders, but with all 
nations of the earth. Ilis chief object has 
been to restore the Republic to its original 
unity of purpose, securing to each State a 
Tei>ublican form of government, wherein the 
few shall not oppress the many, or the ma- 
jority disregard the rights and privileges of 
the minority. Under his wise policy the 
South is beginning to recover its former 
prosperity. Business which Las been pros- 



I trated since the war is reviving, and old pre- 
I judices, engendered by four years of strife, 
I and kept alive by designing politicians, 
: are gradually dying out. Northern capital 
! is turning southward in search of invest- 
I menta. Railroads are being built to develop 
the resources of the Gulf States, and tc 
bring their chief cities in closer and more 
friendly communication with the great com- 
mercial centres of the country. Dema- 
gogues may endeavor to blind the people to 
the true state of affairs by charging Presi- 
dent Grant with a design to cripple the 
South : but citizens who do their own think- 
ing cannot be imposed upon by these un- 
scrupulous enemies of law and order. Fair- 
minded men, whether they agree politically 
with President Grant or not, accord to him 
honesty of purpose, and believe that he ha;: 
done the very best that could be done under 
the circumstances to secure to the South 
the full enj6yment of its constitutional 
rights. 



LBAg'l2 



